Prior art rack mounted rectifiers have been provided for mounting in rectifier cabinets. Such rectifiers have AC inputs and DC outputs. Rectifier cabinets have found extensive use in the rapidly expanding telecommunications industry, providing power for telephone switch gear and the like. Rectifier cabinets have been provided of modular design, in which rectifier modules were removably mounted within the cabinets. Typically, the rectifier modules may be "hot swapped;" that is, a portion of the rectifiers may be removed from the rectifier cabinets without having to shut down the entire cabinet such that power may be maintained by the equipment powered by the rectifier cabinet being serviced.
The mounting of rectifier modules within rectifier cabinets requires the proper alignment of various AC input and DC output contacts, and various signal connectors to enable operation of the rectifier modules. Once the modules are aligned and properly inserted into the racks of the rectifier cabinets, they are secured in place by a latch such that they cannot be removed from the cabinets while the latch is secured. Additional space is taken up by the latching mechanism and alignment members which are utilized for installing prior art rectifier modules into prior art rectifier cabinets. The industry for power equipment has generated predetermined modular unit sizes for determining the space utilized for modular rectifier components. The usage of additional space for alignment members and latching mechanisms prevents the size of rectifier cabinets from being reduced to more compact sizes.